


woke up in a safe house singing

by araki_iasip



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Domestic, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Marriage, Name changing, Weed, pot smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 00:42:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18377426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/araki_iasip/pseuds/araki_iasip
Summary: They get married on a Thursday morning in mid-March.





	woke up in a safe house singing

They get married on a Thursday morning in mid-March. It’s a private affair, all things considered, and about as quiet as could be reasonably expected for an event held within the gang. They woke at 8 am (practically the middle of the night, Mac had whined, flinging the arm not already draped atop Dennis’s chest over his eyes in a fashion so melodramatic for his questionable level of consciousness that Dennis actually found himself rather impressed).

The two took their time dressing that morning, side by side in front of Dennis’s bedroom mirror, Mac easing on a surprisingly well-pressed white dress shirt while Dennis cursed his own trembling hands as he fumbled with the clasp on his shirt sleeve. He continued on in much the same fashion until Mac’s eyes snagged on Dennis’s reflection, taking notice of his struggle and reaching out, instinctively, to grab at Dennis’s elbow and still it, wordlessly pressing the button into place with steady fingers before turning his attention back to straightening his own tie. Dennis felt paralyzed, for a moment, eyes tracking Mac’s large hands as they smoothed over the smooth fabric.

Dennis wouldn’t go so far as to say he was nervous, really. It was absurd to be nervous about something so mundane, so usual as marriage, when you get right down to it. For Mac and Dennis, it was about tax breaks mostly, and convenience.

“Besides,” Dennis had added when he had first introduced the idea, heart surging strangely in his chest and putting a rather alarming amount of effort into sounding as casual as possible, “we’ve been living together for the past 20 years. If we’re going to keep doing it, we’d be foolish not to reap the financial benefits of the situation.”

From the passenger’s seat, Mac had beamed at Dennis for the distance of approximately four blocks until Dennis had snapped at him to shut up, the words coming across maybe more sheepish than he had intended, cheeks heating. Unable to keep himself from sneaking glances out the corner of his eye, he could see the look on Mac’s face, eyes glued to the window, but grinning this small, private smile like he couldn’t help himself. Like he wouldn’t know how to stop even if he wanted to.

What’s more, Dennis thought, is that it was absurd to be nervous about getting married to Mac, specifically. Mac, who had spent the last two decades of his life looking at Dennis in every state you could imagine seeing another human being in. Mac who has seen Dennis on the floor of the bathroom, ugly mascara streaked cheeks and raw, snotty nose, Dennis drunk and high, Dennis confused when he first wakes up in the morning, and Dennis bleeding after a fight, Dennis shouting, Dennis spread out against soft cotton sheets, thighs shaking. Dennis when he’s happy, head thrown back on a laugh at something stupid that Dee had said. Dennis afraid.

Once they get to the courthouse, the ceremony is mostly straightforward and over as quickly as it begins. Once they finish exchanging their vows, Charlie catches Mac’s eye and gives him an enthusiastic thumbs up from where he’s seated in the front row of the courtroom, and Dee manages to only gag once throughout the whole ceremony, which they all count as a win.

But Dennis laughs mindlessly, giddy and almost disbelieving, when Mac finally swoops in for a brief, breathless kiss, the two of them high-fiving immediately after pulling away. 

When it’s over, they make it back to the bar just in time for opening, and decide on a few rounds of tequila shots to mark the occasion. Later, when the rest of the gang is distracted, Mac presses Dennis against the wall, and licks the taste of salt and lime from his mouth.

***

It’s not until about 4 months later that shit hits the matrimonial fan.

It’s that time of day during the dead of summer the when the heat’s just begun to break,and harshness of the afternoon sun gives way to a gentler, more forgiving glow. The two of them have spent the brunt of their afternoon off from the bar lounging in bed, bodies listless and heavy in the stagnant air. Dennis, from his position against the headboard, takes a long drag from the joint that Mac had rolled for them earlier, exhaling heavily before holding it out for Mac. Mac, head resting just above Dennis’s thigh, flings up a lazy arm to take it, fingers overlapping clumsily with Dennis’s for a few seconds as he finds his grip.

Mac’s lying so he’s got one leg resting loosely over one of Dennis’s own, and he keeps nestling, rather distractingly, into the soft, loose fabric of Dennis’s t-shirt, nosing absently at the place where his hip meets his side. Dennis watches as Mac brings the joint to his lips, eyelashes fluttering shut as he inhales deeply before reopening, dilated eyes lolling upward to focus on a spot in the tacky, cottage cheese ceiling above their bed. Dennis’s hand drifts, unconsciously, to pet at Mac’s hair, soft and loose, for once, between his fingers, scratching lightly along the crown of his head, the back of his neck. Dennis’s eyelids are heavy from smoking, and he’s just starting to drift off to the static-white noise sound of their ancient air conditioning unit when he, distantly, hears Mac begin speak.

“I was thinking,” Mac starts, and Dennis doesn’t know if it’s just his senses being fucked from the weed, but his voice sounds softer, more cautious, than usual. It reminds Dennis too much of when they were younger, somehow, the nights they spent in Mac’s parents’ basement, gulping down the burning bottles of cheap liquor stolen from the kitchen cabinet, but never missed. The early mornings sitting too close together on the old stained threadbare sofa, hours after Charlie would pass out, whispering things they’d deny if anyone had dared to ask them in the light of day.

Dennis grumbles softly, but forces his eyes open to squint down at him. Mac’s eyes are glued to ceiling still, but more alert now, thoughtful. He’s got one hand fiddling with the hem of Dennis’s shirt.

“I was thinking,” he continues, “that we could take another trip down to the courthouse, this week, maybe, get the ball rolling on changing my name. Legally, I mean”

At this, Dennis starts slightly, the hand carding through Mac’s hair stilling, momentarily, face scrunching up in confusion.

“Change your name to what?”

Mac tilts his head upward so he can get a better look at Dennis’s face.

“Uh, to yours, bro. Obviously.” His voice is incredulous, as though the answer should be obvious.

Dennis raises an eyebrow, trying to think through the fog of weed that’s clouded his mind.

“So…you want to be named Dennis…..too? I think I’m missing something here, buddy.”

Mac makes a frustrated sound, disentangling himself from Dennis’s limbs to sit next to him on the bed, crossing his legs under him as he faces an extremely bemused Dennis.

“Jesus Christ, man,I meant for me to take your last name. Now that we’re married and all.” he finishes, matter-of-factly.

“Oh,” Dennis blinks slowly clearly taking some extra time to process the information. “Why would you want to do that?”

Mac looks at Dennis as if he’s genuinely considering pressing his hand against his forehead and checking for the signs of a fever.

“You know I’ve always hated my name, dude. And you’re my husband,” Dennis feels something flutter in his stomach, still, at the use of the word, “so it makes sense.”

Dennis pauses a moment, considering, before speaking again.

“But isn’t that kind of like…..” Mac raises his eyebrows at him as Dennis fumbles for the right word, making a vague gesture with his hand“…excessive?”

Now it’s Mac’s turn to look utterly lost. It’s kind of adorable. Dennis can’t resist lifting his thumb to his brow, smoothing out the wrinkle forming there before he continues.

“It’s like, just because we’re married now doesn’t mean we have to do all the same shit that other couples do. It’s not like we can have kids or whatever, so we don’t have to worry about having the same last name as them.”

Mac doesn’t look convinced, still staring at him with this searching, confused expression, so Dennis continues.

“Besides, if we turn up somewhere with the same last name, it becomes a whole thing. Like, we might as well be announcing it to the whole world, and I don’t want that.” Mac winces, slightly, at this, a flash of hurt crossing his features that causes Dennis to instantly regret his choice of words.

“Look, Mac,” he hurries onward, fighting back an impulse to crawl into Mac’s lap and kiss the pout forming on his lips, “I’m happy with the way we are. I don’t need everyone else all up in our business, staring at us and making assumptions. What we’re doing is between us, and we don’t need anyone’s approval. Besides, it’s not like being a Reynolds is anything to be proud of” he chokes on a laugh that sounds forced, even to his own ears.

Mac’s brow creases again, as he listens, and when he speaks, he speaks slowly and carefully, like he’s testing the weight of each word before it leaves his mouth.

“I don’t mind people looking at us or knowing we’re together. It’s not like I’m….I’m not embarrassed of being with you, Dennis.” He pauses here, for a moment “Sometimes, I think it might be the one thing I’ve done in life that i’m actually proud of.”

Dennis blanches, whatever he had planned to say next fleeing his mind at record speed, feeling rather lightheaded. He can only stare at Mac as he continues, eyes wide and sincere as he earnestly plows forward.

“You’re the only person whose approval I care about, you know that. I don’t mind getting a few weird looks now and then.” Mac clears his throat, “I’m proud to be your family, Dennis, and I don’t care who knows about it.”

There’s a long silence, where Dennis feels, for some reason like his heart my beat clean out of his chest. Mac’s still got this serious, focused expression as he studies Dennis, who thinks his own face must reflect some of the awe that he’s feeling. Dennis feels something deep inside of him crack wide open and take root.

“Oh,” he manages, finally, softly. “Okay.”

Mac grins back at him.

“Okay.”

***

The day Mac goes in to officially file papers for his name change is the hottest day of the summer, and, coincidentally, the day their air conditioning unit finally gives out. So, they prop the windows open with old magazines, and celebrate with bargain bin wine and cold Chinese takeout, sprawled out on the floor in front of the tv screen. Periodically, between commercial breaks and bites of chicken fried rice, Dennis leans over and feathers quick, chaste kisses to the side of Mac’s throat, just pressing his mouth against the soft skin over and over again. 

Two days later later, they arrive at Guigino’s for their monthly dinner. When the hostess with the too-orange tan and too fake-bubbly personality asks Mac for their reservation name, her eyes dart down and catch, unmistakably, on the non-existent space between their bodies, the spot where the backs of their hands are just brushing against one another. Mac responds without hesitation, without even thinking, and Dennis lets out a breath he thinks he had been holding for a long, long time.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm araki-iasip on tumblr. 
> 
> title is from the lovely cover of Let's Get Married by Bleachers that Mitski did: 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5zuvs8EZDY
> 
> "I'm gonna get right for you honey  
> I'll take all of my medicine, spend you all my money, yeah  
> And I know it's hard enough to love me"


End file.
